(1) A person shall be disqualified for being chosen as and for being a member of the District Library Authority, if he/she –
(a) is or has been sentenced by a criminal court to imprisonment for any offence involving moral turpitude, such sentence not having been reversed or the offence pardoned and a period of five years has not clasped from the date of the expiration of such sentence :
Provided that the Government may direct that such sentence shall not operate as a disqualification if he/she—
(b) is of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court Authority;
(c) applies to be adjudicated as an insolvent or is an undercharged insolvent;
(d) absents himself from three consecutive meetings without excuse sufficient in the opinion of the District Library Authority to exonerate the absence.
(2) Where a person ceases to be member under clause (d) of sub-section (1), the Secretary shall at once intimate the fact in writing to such person and report the same to the District Library Authority at its next meeting. Where such person applies for restoration of membership to the District Library Authority on or before the date of its next meeting or within fifteen days of the receipt by him of such intimation, the District Library Authority may at the next meeting after the receipt of the application or suo-moto, restore him as member thereof :
Provided that a member shall not be so restored more than twice during his term of office.
Filling up of casual vacancies of the members of the District Library Authority
13. A vacancy occurring in the office of a nominated or elected member of a District Library Authority before the expiration of his term shall be filled by nomination or election, as the case may be o another person in the manner provided in section 10 and the person so nominated or elected shall hold office for the residue of the term of his predecessor.
Powers and Functions of District Library Authority
14. A District Library Authority may –
(a) prepare proposals to provide suitable lands and buildings for public libraries and also the furniture, fittings, materials and conveniences requisite therefore;
(b) stock such libraries with books, periodicals, newspapers, manuscripts, maps, works and specimens of art and science lantern slides, films, cinema projectors, recorders, CD-ROS’s audio-visual material, digital documents and the like within available resources or forward proposals or demand to State Library Committee :
Provided that the books that may be stocked in the libraries shall be selected from the list of books approved from time to time by the Government. A block selection committee shall be constituted for the purpose.
The District Library Authority shall stock also books and periodicals as may be directed, from time to time, by the Government or by an officer authorized by the Government in this behalf, the aggregate value where of shall not be more than 25 percent of the provision made in the budget of that Authority for the purpose of this clause;
(c) with the previous sanction of the Director, shift or close any public library mentioned in sub-clause (a) of sub-section (9) of section 3, or discontinue aid to any other public library, the payment of which is regulated by rules made under this Act;
(d) accept any gift or endowment for any purpose connected with its activities :
Provided that no gift or endowment of an immovable property shall be accepted without the previous sanction of the Government and shall be used for the same library;
(e) provided for lectures connected with current affairs and matter of public interest;
(f) with the consent of the management and the previous sanction of the Government or an officer authorized by the Government in this behalf, acquire any library on such conditions as may be approved by the Government or an officer authorized by the Government in this behalf;
(g) assist public libraries and adult education programmes;
(h) in general do everything necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.
Schemes to be submitted by District Library Authority